Modern electronic devices manage and play back a variety of video, audio and image content. Types of content and amount of content have dramatically increased. In addition to existing personal computers, various electronic devices including portable electronic devices and home appliances are used to browse and manage content. Content is transferred between electronic devices for sharing and playback.
Content management enables a user to easily find and view a desired content item among files stored in an electronic device. To this end, the electronic device generates a list so that the user may browse, search for, and sort entries of the list. Hence, the user may find a desired content item in a relatively easy manner. In most cases, lists are generated on a content player basis or content type basis. For example, the electronic device may create a list of video content for a video player and a list of audio content for an audio player.
A typical electronic device classifies content items by type according to content file extensions. The electronic device may also identify the type of a content item by analyzing the header or structure of the content item. The most commonly used information for content classification is Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME).
Generation of a content list requires content search and parsing. When content types are diverse and system performance is low, such list generation may require a lot of system resources and may take a long time. Further, a list generation may cause user inconvenience because an electronic device classifies content items by use of content extensions and MIME types. For example, extensions such as “3gp”, “mp4” and “avi” indicate video content, and extensions such as “bmp”, “png”, “jpeg” and “gif” indicate image content. However, extensions may fail in content classification. For example, “dcf” is an extension for encoding in OMADRM (Open Mobile Alliance Digital Rights Management). An electronic device may encode at least one of images, video and audio into one file with an extension “dcf”. The electronic device may identify the content type of a “dcf” file by decoding the file using a DRM decoder. For example, Android phones may classify content items by analyzing MIME types of the content items.
As limited information is used for list generation, a problem may occur during content playback. For example, playback of an unsupported content item or moving image may produce sound only. Fast Forward/Rewind (FF/RW) operations may fail, or playback may produce noise or stop as a result of abnormal data streams. In the case of DRM content, playback or browsing may be blocked when a playback limit is reached or a playback duration expires. In some cases, the player program may abnormally end or the system stops. Such problems cause user inconvenience. For example, in the event that the electronic device is placed in a bag or pocket and performs MP3 playback in a continuous mode, when an error occurs while the user listens to music using a headset, the user may have to take the electronic device out of the bag or pocket and manipulate the electronic device in order to select a next song.
FIGS. 1A-1D show a content list and illustrate errors occurring during media content playback according to the related art.
Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, FIG. 1A illustrates a content list according to the related art, and FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate errors occurring during media content playback.
Moreover, as an error is not properly handled, the same problem associated with the error continues to recur. To solve the recurring error, a content item causing the problem may be removed. However, the user may have difficulty locating a content item to be deleted among many files. As a result, removing a content item from a content list may be easier than locating the content item to be deleted. However, removal of such a content item form a content list may cause other problems. For example, a content item not supported by one application may be supported by another application. Firmware update of the electronic device may solve this problem. In the event that a content item is playable but with some deficiencies in fast-forward, rewind or seek operation, deletion of the content item may be undesirable for the user, who has spent time and money to collect and manage content.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.